Tuesday, 4 October 2016

It’s a battle of the heavy weights today, I’m talking high coverage and long lasting foundations going head to head. Estee Lauder Double Wear versus Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation.

Before we get to the nitty-gritty of the comparison, a quick background on my skin type is needed. I have very oily skin, with acne and acne scarring, so as you can imagine I like full coverage, long wearing foundation. I apply both foundations with a damp Beauty Blender for an even finish. I always moisturise then apply a primer and finish with a matte powder after applying the foundation.

Estee Lauder has been my Holy Grail for a few years now, I was unable to find anything that matched its long wear time. Could Urban Decay’s new All Nighter Foundation knock Double Wear off the top spot?

PACKAGING

Urban Decay’s offering is a lot edgier and more contemporary looking than the Estee Lauder foundation bottle. One of the biggest flaws that Double Wear has it that it doesn’t have a pump, although I have heard you can buy a MAC pump and it fits onto the bottle. I often just pour the foundation onto the back of my hand and end up with too much! The All Nighter foundation has a handy pump making it easier to dispense the amount you want. Both contain 30ml of product, so a draw on that front. I do think the Urban Decay version wins on packaging though.

Winner: Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation

FORMULA

I’m going to be honest and say that both have a heavy, mask-like feel but the Urban Decay is ever so slightly lighter. I think this is down to the fact you need less of the UD option to cover the skin, so it does feel fractional better.

Double Wear takes a while to set and feels a little sticky until it dries, I haven’t found this at all with All Nighter. When I have very long days in London, both foundations feel heavy on the skin and by the end of the day I can’t wait to cleanse them off but I think you have to compromise with foundations like this to get the longevity.

I don’t have dry skin but I can imagine the heavy formulas of both would stick to dry patches so maybe get a sample first if you are worried about this. I have noticed that the Urban Decay Foundation does stick to the dip in my chin and sets oddly sometimes. My advice on this is to blend into the creases of your face, like chin and around the nose well.

Winner: Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation

WEAR AND LONGEVITY

Double Wear gained its Holy Grail status previously as it didn’t slide off my face by lunchtime like most other foundations. It still does let some oils through, so blotting is needed occasionally. The Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation does last a few hours longer before I start to notice oils coming to the surface.

Both options do need a blot and show signs of wear after a few hours but nothing you can't easily fix.

Winner: Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation

I think Urban Decay’s All Nighter Foundation has knocked Estee Lauder’s Double Wear off the top spot! It’s little added things that have made it a winner. If you aren’t sure which to purchase for oily skin, I would recommend All Nighter!

3 comments

I swear by EL's Double Wear I absolutely love it! For me, I find that EL is was more realistic for my skin tone, available just about everywhere and in a wider range of shades. I tried UD's foundation but sadly it didn't beat Estee for me!